


Other Side of Hollywolves

by APhantomAndHerPen



Category: Julie and The Phantoms (TV)
Genre: BAMF Julie Molina, F/M, M/M, Werewolf Alex Mercer, Werewolf Luke Patterson, Werewolf Reggie Peters, Werewolf Willie (Julie and the Phantoms), Witch Flynn (Julie and the Phantoms)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-04
Updated: 2021-01-04
Packaged: 2021-03-14 11:40:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,163
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28544976
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/APhantomAndHerPen/pseuds/APhantomAndHerPen
Summary: Julie Molina has never considered the possibilty of the supernatural until a werewolf shows up in her studio, wounded and curled up in beneath the arm of the couch. Unfortunately, said werewolf ends up dragging Julie into his world face first, showing her that Hollywood, right down to her own best friend, has more to it than meets the eye. She's nowhere near prepared to befriend a 90s band of werewolves the world thinks is dead or the evil alpha that turned them 25 years ago, but with the target on her back, she's going to have to face it all head on whether she likes it or not.
Relationships: Alex Mercer & Julie Molina & Luke Patterson & Reggie Peters, Alex Mercer/Willie (Julie and The Phantoms), Flynn & Julie Molina, Julie Molina/Luke Patterson
Comments: 12
Kudos: 56





	Other Side of Hollywolves

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys! I'm warning you way up front that like every chapbook I try to write, this is going to be updated sporatically. It's definitely a WIP. I got inspired by a werewolf JATP fic I read a little while back, and I wanted to do my own spin on the werewolf idea. I have big plans for this, and even though it has the probability of taking forever to finish, I know if I post at least one part of it, it'll haunt me until I come back and finish it. 
> 
> As always with fanfiction, disclaimer that none of the music or characters mentioned are mine. Kudos and positive comments are always appreciated. Even if I don't respond to it, I make a point to read all of them, and they really make my day better.

The day Julie lost her seat in the music program was the day she hit rock bottom. For the past year, her own mind and body had been barring her from tapping a single key or singing one little note. She felt empty and hollow, and no matter how much Flynn had tried to reassure her, she couldn’t find any hope. It was just gone. Julie’s lost in her thoughts as she approached her house, her gut twisted in knots and bleakness settling into her veins. When she opened the door, it wasn’t the one to her house.

Unconsciously, she’d wandered down to the studio. Her eyes took in everything even as they blurred with tears. “I’m so sorry, Mom,” she murmured, lip wobbling. “I just got kicked out of the program.”

Julie took slow steps over to the piano bench. Her fingers itched to touch the keys, but the sinking feeling in her stomach kept her from giving in. She’d done the same thing that morning, the feeling of everyone’s eyes on her too much. It had made her skin crawl.

She missed when eyes on her made her feel invincible.

A soft, pained bark drew her mind away, and she realized then that her hands had been shaking. Swallowing thickly, she swung her gaze around until it landed on the source. A dog had curled itself up beside the couch, tucked out of the way. It looked injured with how protectively it was guarding itself.

 _How’d that poor thing get here?_ Pushing up off the piano bench, she crouched and made her way over to it. It whined and shrunk down more, and Julie’s heart squeezed. “You’re safe here,” she cooed as softly as she could manage. “Will you let me have a look at you?”

In a fashion almost too human, the animal looked Julie over and hesitantly moved out from the shadow of the couch. She could see the large gashes in its side and how it favored its front left paw, and in the light, she could now make out the cut across its muzzle. Julie made a pained noise, gently reaching out so the dog could sniff her fingers.

It shuffled itself out, and she guided it into her lap, hurting when it whined and went lax against her. The dog was considerably larger than she’d thought it was, and looking at it now, she realized it was actually a wolf. A…. really tamed, wounded wolf. Its coat was obviously not a dog’s, either, mottled with dark browns in a pattern she didn’t recognize on any breed she knew.

“Okay, not a regular dog,” she murmured, her eyes widening. Her mind scrambled to figure out what to do with it, gaze landing back on the wounds. She gently stroked her fingers over its pelt, relieved when it doesn’t react negatively to her touch. “Can’t believe a wolf managed to get into the studio.”

It looked up at her, blinking. Julie sighed and patted its head. “Let’s get you fixed up, huh, bud?” She nudged the wolf, helping it get laid out across the couch. “I’ll be back with some things to dress your wounds up.” It felt a bit silly talking to the wolf, but it made her feel better if nothing else. She’d never truly believed animals could understand humans, though in the off chance they could, at least the wolf wouldn’t feel like she just left it.

When she came back, the wolf was stretched across the couch fast asleep. It jerked awake at her footsteps, raising its head to stare at her in alarm. Recognition seemed to cross its features and it melted back into the couch.

She crossed to it, kneeling beside it. “I’m sorry, bud, but this is going to hurt,” she murmured, giving the wolf a few comforting pets.

It moved enough to push its head into her hand, almost like it was telling her that it was okay. She frowned, hit once again with the feeling that this was an all too human response. Shaking it off, she set about carefully dressing the wounds as best as she could. They weren’t deep enough for stitches luckily, and she’s even luckier and more thankful for the wolf not biting her. It – _he_ as she found out – didn’t do much beyond whining at the pain, and she was quick to try and soothe him after each sting.

“I’m all done.” Julie gently combed through his coat, antiseptic and bandages pushed aside. She moved a small plate in front of him. “Eat up. You’ll need it.” She watched as the wolf perked up and pushed himself up to start, well, wolfing down his food, and for the first time all day, Julie actually felt like this wasn’t the lowest she could be.

***

Over the course of the week, Julie spent much of her time out in the studio. She’d told her dad that she was finally brave enough to start cleaning it, so he didn’t disturb her out there. Even though she didn’t have the music program at school anymore, she still had Flynn, and with the company of the wolf, things weren’t seeming so bad anymore. She still hurt and beat herself up for not being able to play, but her life wasn’t completely dark now.

The wolf turned out to be fairly good company. He took to lazing across her lap when she sat on the couch or following her around as best as he could when she was cleaning and sorting. When she walked in, he’d immediately start wagging his tail and give a quiet but excited bark, and she’d giggle and love on him until he was content.

“You know, you really need a name,” she mused, sorting through her mother’s CDs. She had cases full, and over the week she’d rounded them up into one part of the studio. Sitting cross-legged on the ground, the wolf’s head on her thigh, she picked up the next album. She’d been at this for a few hours, the wolf simply watching the CDs go by passively. This one had his head lifting and his ears perking up.

She gave him a confused look. “This mean something to you?” she asked a bit sarcastically. She wasn’t expecting the wolf to nod.

Breathing out shakily, she nodded back. “Right. Okay.” She cracked the case open, pulling out the liner. It was fairly simple, mostly just a means of giving the CD owner the lyrics, all of the songs printed in white on one side of it. She flipped it over, humming. “Sunset Curve sure had a cute group of guys.”

The wolf tilted his head, barking shortly again. Julie gave in – or at least, she thought she was giving in – to the wolf’s wishes, placing the CD in the stereo and pressing play. The track, Now or Never according to the liner, was bright and had her smiling and bobbing her head along. She noticed the wolf doing the same.

“One of your favorite bands, is it?” She rubbed his side affectionately, giggling at the happy whine he gave. He wasn’t fully healed, still on the more tired side. With the small bursts of energy he got, Julie wouldn’t be surprised if the wolf was typically hyperactive. “Well, we can definitely listen to it for a while.”

Except, the wolf wasn’t going to give up on the CD easily. He had a weird fixation with it, almost as if there was something to it that he was trying to tell Julie that she just kept missing. After she turned off the stereo for the day, he’d gotten mopey. In the days following, he started nudging at the CD case, bothering her until she turned Sunset Curve back on.

“I don’t know what you’re trying to tell me,” she finally complained to the wolf as she pressed play for what felt like the fiftieth time. She gave the wolf a lost look, her eyebrows furrowed and a sigh on her lips. “I’m sorry I don’t speak wolf.”

He drooped, whining softly. Julie could almost see the lightbulb going off in his head as he went to the case, gently grabbing it and bringing it to her. She grimaced at the slobber but opened it up, getting the liner inside. “This is what you’re wanting?” she affirmed hesitantly.

She watched him gently nose it open, placing his paw over the picture of the dark haired, greaser looking teen and barking. Julie frowned, taking the liner back. “Reginald Peters,” she read off, peering over at the wolf. He visibly perked at the name, standing up and wagging his tail enthusiastically.

Julie scrutinized him. “I mean, you’re definitely much more intelligent than a normal wolf, but this seems like a stretch.” She sighed and cocked her head, resting it on her palm. “Is that your name?”

The wolf nodded his head and started wagging his tail harder. She took a deep breath, stepping back. “This is… too weird,” she breathed, pushing her fingers into her curls. “Holy shit.”

The wolf – Reginald Peters, supposedly a _bassist_ in a band from _25 years ago_ – stopped wagging his tail at her reaction. As she sat down, head in her hands, he slunk towards her and timidly put his head in her lap. She shifted enough to look at him, her features softening. “Sorry, Reggie, I’m not mad at you or anything.” He pushed into her hand when she pet him, soothed by her reassurance.

“I actually looked up your band.” She settled in where she sat, gently petting his head as she talked. Julie worried her lip, eyebrows furrowed. “It said that Bobby’s the only one alive. You, Luke, and Alex were said to have disappeared right before playing the Orpheum.” Her lips turned to a frown, her fingers pausing. “You’re alive, though. You’re a wolf.”

He gave her a look she interpreted as a sarcastic way of agreeing with her. Kind of like “yeah, no shit” in a look. She huffed, flicking his ear gently. “Don’t take that tone of look with me, Mr.” Her eyes found the liner again. “Tap my left knee for no and my right knee for yes, okay?”

Reggie sat up, placing a paw on her right knee to show he understood.

“Great.” She thought it over, and when she spoke, her voice was hesitant. “Are Luke and Alex alive, too?”

A tap for yes.

“Do you know where they are?”

A tap for no.

Damn. “Is there a way for you to tell them where you are or that you’re safe?”

Reggie looked between both of her knees as if he wasn’t sure how to respond. He barked in frustration, putting his paws on both.

“I’ll take that as a maybe.” A smile slid onto Julie’s lips, hope brightening her face. “Maybe we can get you back to them, then. They’re probably missing you.” She looked over at the stereo. “No wonder you keep having me play your CD.”

He whined, dipping his head. Not caring about his size, he crawled into her lap, practically smothering her. His paws go over her shoulders, his head on one of them. She laughed, holding him with one hand while the other propped herself up. “I know, I know. Don’t worry, I’ll help you find them.”

She’s rewarded with a tongue licking across her face. She squealed, falling backward and wiping her face. “Reggie, that’s so gross!” she complained loudly, blanching. The wolf just made a sound akin to laughter, and Julie shot him a harmless glare.

***

“You’ve got the address to give to them just in case, right?” Julie looked down at Reggie at her side. The wolf came up to her hip and had refused to stray too far from her side. He was on high alert, his body tensed and head swiveling like a security camera. She wasn’t sure his reasoning for being so wary, but his disposition had her looking over her own shoulder more often.

They’re at the park, Julie having not wanted her dad to wonder why howling was coming from the studio. She’d told Reggie to lead them somewhere that his bandmates frequented, hoping that they’d either be there or they’d be close enough to hear Reggie’s call.

He was almost entirely healed now, and with what she figured was possibly werewolf healing speed, there had probably been something in the gashes slowing the process. She wondered why he hadn’t shifted back at all. It wasn’t like she could ask Reggie why, so she’d just allowed him to do as he felt comfortable.

Reggie sat, tilting his head up to look at her. He gave a short bark as a means of saying yes, and Julie gave him the go-ahead to start. The sound was mournful and had Julie wanting to cover her ears, but she forced herself to stay at his side until he quieted down.

For a few minutes, Julie holds out hope they’ll come. Ten minutes later, she’s hugging herself to keep warm and Reggie’s gently pulling at the edge of her coat, his ears drooped. _Let’s head home_ , he seemed to be telling her, though it was with an air that added, _We can try again sometime_.

She let him lead her home, and after dinner, Julie went back out to comfort Reggie. He’d managed to weasel his way up to the loft, the only place she had yet to touch. Between his paws was a worn, leather notebook. He barked a greeting at her and pushed the notebook in her direction.

“What’s this?” she asked softly, as if he could reply. She opened it, seeing lyrics and chords jotted down in chicken-scratched handwriting. Julie ducked back into the main part of the studio so she had light to read, Reggie carefully following and moving to the piano bench.

He barked a second time, nodding at her and then at the piano, nosing at the cover. She frowned at him, her fingers brushing over the pages. “Are you… trying to get me to play something?” The resounding, happy sound he made had her smiling ruefully. “I haven’t played in a year. How do you even know I’m any good?”

The look he gave her was deadpan, and she crossed to the piano bench. “Alright, we’ll give it a try. I’m not making any promises alright?” Reggie nudged her, giving her a look that she interpreted as _Go on, you can do this._

She made him select the song for her. They went through the notebook once so that Reggie could remember what was in it, and the second time through, she had him bark when she got to the song he wanted. Her fingers landed timidly on the keys. Feeling her stomach twist in that same sickening, familiar manner, she glanced at the wolf pleadingly.

He placed a way on her thigh, barking softly. The sound seemed reassuring, his eyes bright with the same sentiment. _Take your time_ , she could almost imagine him saying. It’ll be okay either way.

Taking a deep breath, she pushed down on one of the keys. As she listened to it ring out through the studio, the knot in her stomach started to untwine. She closed her eyes for just a few moments, just long enough to bask in the sound of the key. Opening them again, she started to play.

And then her voice was joining in with the chords, and her heart was thudding in her chest like thunder. The weight she’d forgotten she was carrying with her steadily lifted, her chest no longer feeling so constricted. Her veins thrummed with fire, and by the time she was finishing _Bright_ , she was in tears due to the sheer wave of relief crashing into her.

She’s left to stare at the piano, her hands stuck on the keys as tears slipped down her cheeks. Julie’s only pulled out of her thoughts by Reggie whining and nudging at her. His tail’s wagging slowly, something like pride on his face, though that could totally be her imagination. She smiled at him, scratching his ears. “Thanks, Reggie,” she murmured gratefully. “Thank you so much.” Julie kissed his head and the wolf’s tail started wagging faster, tongue lolling from his mouth.

“You think Dad would let me bring you in the house?” She couldn’t help a bit of a grin. She wiped her cheeks, sniffling. “I think we’re going to try and see.”

All it took was Julie’s puppy dog eyes – and Reggie’s literal puppy dog eyes – to get Ray to agree. Of course, she was fully responsible for him, and he made sure she knew it. Having Reggie made her happy, so he reluctantly agreed, and so the two of them went up to Julie’s room.

“Okay, ground rules,” she started, looking at Reggie pointedly. “If you’re going to come and go as you please in this house, you’re expected to act like a dog around Carlos and my dad, got it? You’re also not allowed to be in here while I’m changing, and if I’m doing homework or something, you’ve got to be good and not distract me. Can you make those promises?”

As she expected, Reggie’s tail wagged and he gave a nod, looking content with this new development. He moved to her bed, curling up at the end and giving her a look that read, See how good I’m being?

The next few nights went the same way. They went to the park, let Reggie howl, and then went back home to cuddle up and sleep. She wasn’t sure what he got up to while she was at school, but her dad had bonded with him pretty quickly, so she wasn’t too worried. She knew he was getting more and more discouraged as the week went on. Having Ray as company was good for not only Reggie, but for her dad, too.

By the time Flynn found out about Reggie, he’s been with Julie just shy of a month and healed up for almost two. She always had been stupidly perceptive, but she hadn’t expected Flynn to figure it out within quite literally the first two minutes of being in the same room as him.

“Hey, Reggie,” Julie greeted, letting her bag slip to the ground. Flynn followed her into her room, her eyes catching sight of the wolf.

Perking, she bounded to the bed and pushed her fingers into his coat. She happily scratched his ears. “Jules, why didn’t you tell me you got yourself a dog?” A weird look crossed her features. “Sorry, werewolf. When did you find this handsome boy?”

Julie about choked, closing her door. “How do you know he’s a werewolf?” she hissed, moving to the bed.

“Because he told me,” Flynn quipped. Her eyebrow raised. “So, are you going to tell me, or am I asking the werewolf who was talking out loud?” There’s a beat of silence as she listened to Reggie, Julie only catching on by the tilt of Flynn’s head. “Yes, you were talking out loud. To witches, you are.”

That had Julie’s world slowing to a halt. “I’m sorry, did you just say you’re a witch?” She’d somehow not freaked out over Reggie being a werewolf, but adding Flynn being a witch on top of that made it a little hard not to lose it.

Flynn didn’t seem too concerned about Julie’s panic. “Yeah. It’s not something you go around telling people, otherwise they think you’re nuts.” She tossed her braids over her shoulder. “I’m pretty powerful, too, if I do say so myself. Mama’s got more magic in her pinkie finger than Harry Potter does in his whole body.”

Julie wasn’t sure if it was the fact that he was around another supernatural or if he was just glad to not have to keep hiding, but Reggie was perked back up and bouncing around the bed. He launches into Flynn’s lap, eagerly accepting all of the pets she wanted to give him. Julie stood at the side of her bed, staring at the two of them unseeingly.

It was hitting her full force that Reggie was a werewolf. She didn’t know why it hadn’t hit so hard before, or why it was hitting a month later, but it was. Her best friend was a witch. All these years being around Flynn and her family, and she was just now finding out something huge about her.

If werewolves and witches were real, what else was out there? Were so many other people she knew more than human?

Pale, she held onto the edge of her bed to keep from falling over as her legs turned to mush. “Oh my hell,” she breathed, voice hoarse.

Flynn’s happy disposition faded into worry. “Jules.” She eased Reggie off her lap so she could move to Julie, taking her free hand. “Hey. It’s okay. Take deep breathes with me.”

Following Flynn’s breathing, the tunnel vision she’d started to have widened back to normal, the dizziness fading away. “I’m good,” she pushes out eventually. “I’m good.” She smiled reassuringly at Reggie, who whined and pushed at her arm as gently as he could.

“It’s just really overwhelming having both a witch and a werewolf in my life, you know?” Her teasing tone fell flat, but Flynn didn’t comment on it.

Her friend simply shook her head. “If it were the other way around, I’d be freaking out, too.”

Julie moved to lay herself down on her bed, her head on her pillow. She made a soft noise when Reggie tucked himself against her. “Is there any chance you could help Reggie out?” At Flynn’s questioning gaze, she explained what had happened and who Reggie was, right down to every last detail she could remember.

Flynn took it all in silently, nodding or humming here and there. “I can definitely use a summoning spell to help get them here,” she offered. “I can’t magically get them here where I don’t have anything of theirs and haven’t met them, but summoning should pull them towards here fairly insistently.” The look she gave to both of them is slightly pained. “Sorry I can’t do better, guys.”

Reggie wagged his tail, butting his head against Flynn’s arm as if to tell her it was okay.

“It’s something, and that’s what counts,” Julie told her. “Thanks, Flynn. You’re a lifesaver.”

She snorted. “Tell me that when these boys get here. If this works, they should get here in pretty decent time. Then Reggie isn’t stuck here and has his friends back.” Flynn grimaced once the words were out of her mouth, knowing she’d misspoke.

Julie’s smile dimmed, and she swallowed thickly. “I mean, it’s definitely better for Reggie to be with his friends.” He whined, shifting his large wolf form closer to her. His head rests on her stomach, his eyes peering up at her as she scratched his ears. “It is, and we both know it, Reg.”

“That doesn’t mean you won’t see her again,” Flynn threw in quickly, trying to make up for upsetting them. She leaned in, petting Reggie’s flank. “I’m sure you could come visit her any time you wanted.”

“We’ll think about it when we get to that point.” Julie smiled Reggie’s way, feeling relieved when the wolf perked just a bit.

It’s two days before Flynn can cast the spell, and in that time, Reggie had been antsy as hell. He’s so full of energy when Julie told him the witch had managed it that she’s forced to go take a walk with him. Well, more like they end up heading towards the park so that the wolf could run around as much as he wanted.

So far, no one had questioned her bringing a domesticated wolf around. Stroke of luck, she guessed.

It’s on their way back that she bumped into a tall man in a top hat and a heavy coat. A sick feeling crawling along her skin, she whirled around, ready to tell the guy off when she met his eyes and the illness increased tenfold. He tipped his hat to her and continued down the sidewalk, leaving her with bugs on her skin and cold seeping into her.

Whoever the man had been, Reggie didn’t like him very much, either. He bristled, growling lowly until Julie was able to start walking again. Where he’d been relaxed and walking just ahead of her before, he was now right next to her, staying tensed and alert.

“Whoever the hell that was, he didn’t do anything but bump into me,” she murmured loud enough for him to hear. “I’m alright, Reg. Promise.”

He didn’t seem convinced. He doesn’t even start to relax until they’re approaching the studio. Sighing, she opened the doors for him. “See? We’re in safe territory now, so-“

She’s really lucky Ray and Carlos are at a ballgame, because the moment she entered the studio, she was screaming. It was a knee-jerk reaction, one that she was quick to shut down by clamping her mouth shut. “Luke and Alex.” Her voice came out strangled, her eyes wide as she looked at them. They looked exactly like they had on the liner.

The two of them shared a look, probably wondering how she knew their names. They didn’t have much time to formulate a response, Reggie barking and launching himself at them.

Luke laughed, guarded expression dying out. “Hey, man, we’ve been looking everywhere for you. Thought you got nabbed by one of Caleb’s guys.” He gently pushed at the wolf, who was trying desperately to lick at him.

Alex, bowled over but not Reggie’s target, sat up, bracing himself on his hands behind him. “Yeah, we lost you after the moon. Woke up with you not with us anymore.”

Reggie paused, looking between Alex and Luke before making his way back to Julie at the entrance. He sat down at her feet, facing them in a way that Julie had seen cats do. It seemed protective, maybe a lit possessive.

Confused, she gently scratched the wolf’s ears. He sagged into her touch. “I’m fine, Reg, promise.”

Out of the two of them, Luke seemed to be the quickest to trust, relaxing at the sound of Reggie’s nickname. “You must be the witch that summoned us,” he guessed, and Julie fought the urge to melt at the easy, crooked smile the werewolf shot her.

“That would be my best friend.” She offered her own hesitant, slightly overwhelmed smile back. “I’m just the human that found Reggie.” The wolf at her feet straightened and shifted his paws.

Alex hummed, sounding a bit skeptic. Julie couldn’t blame him for that. “Right. And Reggie’s just trusted you?” He glanced at Luke, running a hand through his blond hair. “We should have known to check here, man. We’d have found him a lot sooner.”

Luke sputtered, about to defend himself when Julie cut him off. “Why would you have checked my mom’s studio?”

“No reason,” Alex said at the same time Luke perked and quipped, “Because this was our studio first.” They glared at each other, obviously not on the same page about how to deal with her.

Understanding flooded through her. Crouching down, she pushed her fingers into his coat, rubbing his fur affectionately. “So you came here because this used to be your practice space, right?” Reggie barked affirmingly, and Julie continued, “Well, I’m glad you came here. Otherwise, I’m fairly sure your gashes would have been infected.”

Worry set in heavily over the other two werewolves’ faces. “Gashes?” Alex paled. “Dude, please don’t tell me you were jumped by one of Caleb’s wolves. Please.”

“I’m not sure if werewolf healing works the same in real life like in books, but they took while to heal,” Julie told them, gesturing to where Reggie had been hurt. “Good as new now, but they took a good two weeks.” Feeling Reggie tensing back up, she frowned. “Who’s this Caleb guy?”

“Really bad werewolf. He’s the one that turned us.” Scowling, Luke sat down next to Reggie and Julie, Alex hesitantly following suit. “Got this jazz age look to him. A huge showman douchebag.”

Red flags started waving in Julie’s head. “Does this guy have a top hot and a huge coat? Dark hair and sharper features?”

“Yeah, he does. How did you know?”

Julie sighed, kissing Reggie’s head. “He bumped into me on our walk home today and Reggie was posturing up to snap his neck if he needed to. The guy made my skin crawl.”

Alex blanched. “Yep, definitely Caleb. Which means you’re not exactly safe.”

“Reggie at the least should stay with you,” Luke suggested, giving his friend’s head a few pets. “Besides, it looks like he’s comfy in his wolf for once.”

“He hasn’t changed back at all.” She tilted her head. “Is something wrong with him?”

Alex shook his head. “Nope. Reginald here prides himself on being a gentleman.” Julie’s face is blank with loss and he elaborated, “He’s going to be naked when he shifts back, so he hasn’t.”

She cooed, nudging Reggie. The wolf looked sheepish, his head tilted down to stare at his paws. “That’s really sweet of you. I appreciate it, but I want you comfortable, too.”

“Brought him a change of clothes in case.” Luke slipped off the small backpack Julie hadn’t noticed. “Could you wait outside for just a bit…” He trailed off, looking awkward.

It took her a second to realize he didn’t know her name. “Julie,” she filled in, getting up. “Yell for me when he’s decent, and we can talk about all of this so we’re all on the same page.” She dipped from the studio, closing the door behind her and staying faced away from it.

Once she’s out of their sight, she sighed and closed her eyes, letting her head fall back. Julie’s world felt like it was spinning way too fast. At the start of the month, she’d been sure that humans were humans, and supernatural elements were purely fictional. Apparently they weren’t, considering her best friend was a witch – she still was hung up over that, and she swore that she’d make Flynn give her actual details about all of that after her current crisis – and that she had three werewolves currently in her studio, one of which had been living as her dog for the duration of the month.

If only her mom was here to help her through all of this. She felt like she was drowning in change, unable to see which way was up and which way was down.

A small part of Julie reminded herself that even though she was overwhelmed and being thrown into the middle of things she’d normally be reading about, she was happier and felt stronger now than she had in a year. That had to mean something.


End file.
